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Recent Testimonial

This program gave me so many opportunities to learn about the Irish culture and took us on trips with locals to get the full experience. I was extremely prepared through CISabroad and was never nervous about any plans. I mostly miss the amazing people and culture of Ireland. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly and truly wanted me to learn all about their culture and at the same time they wanted to learn about where I come from. I wish I was still in Ireland!

Live in one of the world's most vibrant cities.

Take Spanish language classes at any level.

Join a four-day trip to Morocco.

Program Overview

On our Barcelona Semester program, soak in this cultural hub of the Mediterranean, both inside and outside the classroom. This 12- week program introduces you to Spain’s culture, food, and language in one of the most vibrant cities in the world. You’ll study at the Barcelona School for International Studies with some of the best faculty in Barcelona. You’ll experience quality coursework, excursions throughout Spain and Morocco, proximity to a coastline of white-sand beaches, and life in an exciting, cosmopolitan city. Join locals for some delicious tapas, snap pictures of Gaudi’s dream-like architecture, and amble down the tree-lined pedestrian-only street La Rambla. Barcelona has many best-kept secrets, and you’ll find them all when you live and study here.

GPA Requirement

2.5

Application Deadlines

Fall: June 15Spring: October 15

Avg Course Load

4 courses (12 U.S. credits)

Language(s) of Instruction

English and Spanish

Key Program Highlights

A range of business, humanities, and Spanish classes to suit your major and interests

Variety of weekend trips throughout Barcelona and beyond

Homestay options available

Campus located ten minutes from the city center

Supportive "hub" of on-site staff

Your Journey Begins Here

Connect with your Global Advisor to start planning. Apply by the application deadline.

Fly away. You'll be greeted at the airport, participate in a robust On-site Orientation and La Vida Local Curriculum with your Site Director.

Life in Barcelona

Welcome and Orientation

Once you arrive to the capital of Catalonia CISabroad staff will meet you at the airport and help get you to your apartment or homestay. Upon arrival you’ll take part in the CISabroad Logistical, Cultural and Academic Orientation with other students and interns on the program. The onsite staff will introduce you to this dynamic and cosmopolitan city that you will call home, giving you tips on to how to be safe and healthy as well as how to make the most of your experience professionally, culturally and personally.

After our fun, interactive orientation sessions, we’ll have a welcome lunch in a traditional restaurant, giving you your first culinary experiences in the new city by trying the staple, “pan con tomate,” along with other delicious Mediterranean food!

Farewell and Re-entry Program

As the program draws to a close, we will be sure you go home with the tools you need to make the most of your experience. In our re-entry workshop you’ll learn how to cope with cultural differences you’ll experience as you go home, how to put your abroad experience on your resume and in job interviews as well as how you can keep traveling in the future. We’ll end the trip with a farewell meal with all your new CISabroad “amigos” and the staff, for a chance to say “hasta luego” to your new city!

Housing Options

You can choose to live either in a shared apartment or in a homestay during the Barcelona Semester program.

Apartments

Amenities:

Fully-furnished, with a shared living room, a well-equipped kitchen, and bathrooms

You’ll share a room with one other student, and most apartments accommodate four to six program participants.

About a 25-minute commute from the centrally located campus

Homestay

Your host family will provide:

Laundry service

Breakfast and dinner

An experience of living like a local

Local Life

Soccer match: Barça, Barça, Baaarça! Experience one of the best football clubs in the world and cheer like “culés,” fans from Football Club Barcelona.

Barrio tours: Staff will take you on a tour of a neighborhood in Barcelona, showing you the history but also where locals hang out. Each tour includes a chance to try some local treats.

Human Towers: Go to the practice space of the local Castells, a sport where teams compete to make the tallest tower possible.

Cooking classes: Cooking classes with a professional chef.

Intercambio night: A language exchange with local students.

More About Barcelona

It’s no wonder that Barcelona is one of the top tourist and study abroad destinations in the world. This incredible location on the shores of the Mediterranean has a delightfully mild climate year round. Plus, Barcelona is one of the most exciting and vibrant cities to live in! The second-largest city in Spain has two official languages, Castilian Spanish and Catalan. It’s the perfect place to challenge yourself and practice your own Spanish skills, while also learning more about the unique Catalan history and culture.

The city is bustling, and you'll be in awe of the architecture, including Gaudi's towering Sagrada Familia basilica. When you're ready to immerse yourself in nature, you can easily reach beaches and hiking sites just outside of Barcelona. The efficient public transportation system allows you to quickly travel to the many beaches to both the north and south of Barcelona. It also means you can easily navigate campus and the many amazing sites located throughout the city.

The city’s diverse international population, colorful flair, exciting nightlife, and vast array of cultural, historical, and modern attractions makes Barcelona an unparalleled place to study abroad!

Program Excursions

While participating on a CISabroad program, you'll be able to take part in built-in weekend and day trips at no additional cost. These trips are subject to change from term to term; listed below are excursions that have run in the past.

Day Trips

This day trip around Catalonia includes guided tours, some museum entrance fees, a group lunch, and some free time. You'll visit the Salvador Dalí Museum in Figueres, hike the beautiful coastal trail known as the Camino de Ronda on the Costa Brava and wander the old Jewish Quarter in beautiful Girona.

Weekend Trips

During weekend trips, you might experience Flamenco and tour the beautiful Alhambra in Granada; eat Spain’s best tapas and visit wineries in Basque Country; or hike coastal trails and tour medieval villages in Costa Brava. Trips change each semester.

4 Days in Morocco

Fall and Spring semester students also have the opportunity to join a four-day trip to Morocco with a non-profit organization dedicated to helping travelers jump off the beaten path and understand the local culture.

Academics

GPA Requirement

If you find your GPA is lower than the requirement listed at the top of this page, do not despair! Get in touch to let us know your situation. In many cases, there are additional application materials that you can submit to make your case for acceptance.

How to Choose Your Courses

Now the fun part! You get to pick the courses you will take abroad. Review the course information on this page and once you’ve decided which courses you want to take. Fill out the CISabroad Course Selection Worksheet in your online portal.

Course Approval

Make sure to talk with your home university about course approval and get additional classes approved before you go abroad. For example, if you are taking 4 classes abroad, we recommend getting 8 approved. This gives you some flexibility in setting up your class schedule. Think about courses required for your major, but also courses that fulfill your elective requirements.

Choose your courses, making sure to get them approved by your home university and then fill out the Course Selection Worksheet.

Please note, it is important to submit your course registration page (provided to you by CISabroad upon acceptance) as early as possible, as courses tend to fill up very quickly at SIS and your first choices may not be available if you delay too long. Please plan ahead to get your course choices approved at your home university so you can have them ready to submit after you are accepted to the program.

The University

At Barcelona School for International Studies (SIS), you'll enjoy innovative courses in the heart of the vibrant, playful city of Barcelona. The city center is just a ten-minute walk from campus. SIS prides itself on offering unique curriculum, allowing you to fulfill courses in languages, culture, history, art, and the humanities. At SIS, you can immerse yourself in the local culture, make Spanish and international friends, and have easy access to all that Barcelona has to offer.

SIS shares its facility with a renowned language school, providing you with the opportunity to meet students from around the world. The campus is located in the Eixample district of the city, where many of Barcelona's distinct neighborhoods are just a walk away, including the old city, La Rambla, and the Barceloneta beach.

The program focuses on immersion in the Spanish language, but mostly offers classes taught in English. Your diverse international professors are all highly qualified, and they are used to adapting their courses for study abroad students. You’ll get to enjoy the use of spacious classrooms, multimedia equipment, and other modern amenities during your time in Barcelona.

Accreditation(s): Barcelona School for International Studies is accredited by Jacksonville University.

Student Feedback

This program changed my life in many ways, but most importantly it taught me how to be adaptable. I thoroughly enjoyed the intern mixers that allowed us to meet others in our program.

Sara Platt - Clemson University

Program Support

Before, during, and after your study abroad experience, you’ll be supported by the dedicated and passionate CISabroad staff. Our goal is quick responses to your questions before you depart, and even quicker once you’ve arrived on site.

Robust Advising Center

Our team of advisors will help you choose a program, connect with your home university regarding classes and financial aid and get you prepared to apply for your program.

Ongoing Support

Your Support Staff

Global Advising Team

Travel Tip:

We love what we do and want to talk to you! The Global Advising Center is here to help you decide on a program, and complete the Online Application. From the moment you first hear from us be it through a phone call, email or personal visit, you will find that our passion for international education is contagious. We’re ready to launch you abroad.

Jackie Langdon

Never forget to give yourself credit for making the decision to study abroad. Immersing yourself in another culture is challenging, but the memories and sense of personal growth you return with make study abroad all the more rewarding.

Marta Vila

Site Director in Barcelona

Travel Tip:

Be open to try the local food! Let a local Catalan or Spanish friend pick some options for you and get ready to be amazed and discover new flavors. If you ask me, go for the seafood ‘fideuá’. You will have a good laugh learning how to open the shrimps!